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waffy posted:Kites seem super cool, I too am jealous of anyone who can see them normally. I'm excited about the kites too! I hadn't seen them in my local park for a while but just recently at least one has returned. Congrats on the bean goose! I saw the post from the guy who found it and you could tell how excited he was. Cacklers are awesome. I'm not sure I ever saw one when I lived on the east coast. They're a little more common out here. In fact my father in law worked to save some wintering area for one of the subspecies nearby. We usually get to see a couple of dozen on the CBC but because of the precautions this year I didn't visit that part of the territory this year. BeastOfExmoor posted:
First for me too! quote:
Yeah that's weird. Although maybe there are more that just get written off as Rufous? I just saw someone mention something else that was surprisingly uncommon, like Eastern Phoebe (probably misremembering) or something that is fairly regular here in CA but almost never gets to WA.
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Dec 21, 2020 18:44
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Kingfishers are awesome. I had a lab mate in grad school who was set on studying some weird species in New Guinea that runs along the forest floor rooting through the leaf litter. I had a field job in Venezuela at a place where we had several species from a tiny Pygmy Kingfisher to the almost crow-sized Ringed. God I miss the tropics.
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Jan 11, 2021 04:25
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I think it was the Scarlet Tanager I heard about. I would definitely trade any number of eastern poo poo birds for either of those two. I've actually seen way more gyrs than snowy owls but I'd take either.
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Jan 13, 2021 22:24
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triwolf posted:I'm new to the birding thread and birding in general. I got a few reference books and binoculars and I've been watching the little brown birds who live in the bush outside my house to figure out what they are exactly. Today I managed to get a good look at one of them and realized from the little yellow spots on its face that it is a white-throated sparrow! I know that is possibly the dullest bird identification ever but it was truly thrilling, I get why people get really into bird IDing now. Don't be fooled by the fact they are a common winter bird. White-throated Sparrows are super cool. We only get a handful here on the west coast so I'm always stoked when one comes to my yard or I see them on a hike. If you can figure out a sparrow ID that is a great start for birding. Congrats!
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Jan 16, 2021 21:29
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Corla Plankun posted:Is this an Eastern Phoebe? I’d say you’re right. In Texas it’s always good to look closely in case it’s some unusual bird coming up from Mexico but looks like Eastern Phoebe to me.
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Jan 26, 2021 16:31
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Cavauro posted:Had to tell a guy to stop freaking pishing several months ago because he was going to scare off a different bird. He got really aggro and weird about it, cursing at me in public. Then last week he comes up to me asking where to find a redpoll and I got to tell him what his poor manners were going to get him this time around. Not sure if he didn't remember me or if it was the mask. Yikes. There are a lot of birding Karens out there, unfortunately.
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Jan 28, 2021 01:08
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That sucks. Online groups can be great for getting help with IDs and learning good places to go. Birders are definitely not monolithic, and sometimes folks assume only their particular brand of birding is important. Add to that the traditional demographic of birders and Fox News viewers is pretty similar, and there's a recipe for occasional disappointment. There's much more one could say about that but I'd rather focus on actual birds... ...like I had a Golden Eagle almost from my yard at the end of last week, so that was cool. Only second time I've seen one from my neighborhood.
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Feb 3, 2021 23:00
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Owlkill posted:Is it possible to get a camera that would be decent enough for zoom shots of garden birds for less than around £200 (roughly $275)? The digiscoping solution pointsofdata recommends is definitely a thing, and heck, maybe a good solution if you are always shooting from one window at a couple of feeders or branches (just make sure the minimum focus of the scope is short enough to actually view things in your garden). Most of the uses I've seen for that are for more distant slow moving or perched birds where you'd normally be using a scope anyway, things like raptors, shorebirds, ducks, etc. The magnification power of the scopes comes at a cost of portability and maneuverability. I think there might have been some super sales for lower end dslr kits last holiday season that fit in your range? I'm not seeing those now, for example, the Canon t7 kit with the tele zoom lens is about twice your limit now. If you were careful you could probably get an old DSLR with a zoom lens that's 200 or 300mm at the long end. This would get you in the door, but if you get into bird photography more than just birds in your garden it's likely you'll outgrow this. Another option would be a used bridge/superzoom point and shoot. Compared to the low end DSLR and (relatively) short zoom, you'd get more zoom/reach this way but the image sensors in these older cameras will be a step down. Not sure what I'd recommend under this price constraint.
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Feb 4, 2021 19:31
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Enfys posted:I've made myself sad trying to work out when the last time I saw a greenfinch in the garden. I've noticed a big dip in American Goldfinches at my house. Used to be more common than the Lesser Goldfinches but now it's pretty unusual for me to see one. Now there's salmonella that's hitting the irruptive siskin population  . I'm not feeding this year but if I were I'd take down my feeders. In happier news, this is a heads up for the Great Backyard Bird Count coming next weekend (Feb 12-15). It's an easy citizen science project to get involved with to help monitor late winter bird populations. Does not have to be literally in your backyard, just wherever you have a few minutes to look for birds.
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Feb 5, 2021 19:22
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Counteresperanto posted:Do regular eBird checklists count towards the Backyard Bird Count? What about events like Big Days, Christmas Bird Count, Feederwatch or others? It seems to me that ordinary checklists count towards some special counts but not others, and I can ever seem to keep it straight. As far as I know any complete Ebird checklist of at least 15 minutes in length made during the GBBC period will be automatically included in the GBBC dataset. You don't need to do anything special to become included. All ebird checklists have the potential to be used in any research using eBird data, although it's more likely if it's a complete checklist with all numerical counts for the species. The Christmas Bird Count predates eBird and GBBC by many decades, so it's kind of a separate thing, although more and more people are using eBird mobile as a data collection and compiling tool to record CBC data. So I guess potentially the same ebird checklist could become part of the eBird dataset and be folded into a CBC count circle. But if you're just birding outside a circle, or even inside a circle but not coordinating with the CBC compiler, then your ebird list does not count towards the CBC. CBC circles have set routines that they follow to try to ensure people are spread out and covering different areas, so they don't have to figure out of the 8 checklists from a park or hotspot that day how many total birds were there. Great Backyard Bird Count is an independent winter bird-finding event that can be done anywhere, not just in the predetermined count circles. It's more or less just trying to synchronize as many people to count on the same weekend. Global big day is another one of these, and there are plenty of other more local/regional ones too. Basically "wahoo, let's go birding y'all" If you're already entering eBird lists then you're way ahead of the game.
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Feb 5, 2021 21:00
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Those Pentax have a very narrow field of view (the second number in the 6.5x21). Lightweight is good, but it will probably help if the field of view is 35 or 40 (or more) so that even if there’s some shake the bird will stay in the frame. I don’t fully know the challenges your wife is facing but I’m wondering if something a little bigger might be easier to use. Are the Canon image stabilization binoculars in your price range at all? Just a thought. A spotting scope would be the most stable but that would more or less preclude looking at moving birds. But maybe a mixed strategy of 7x35s and a scope would be best. E: I almost wonder whether a sturdy walking support/walking stick that she could lean against and then use binoculars normally would be easier than using binoculars on a monopod. I’m pretty sure there is a combo walking stick/monopod that could let you experiment. BetterLekNextTime fucked around with this message at 03:54 on Feb 17, 2021 |
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Feb 17, 2021 03:43
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Lawson posted:that's the lens diameter, which you can use to compare field of view only for the same magnification. Very true. When comparing 6.5 vs. 7x it should be a reasonable proxy but the actual field of view metrics are right there. Eeyo-- if there's any chance you could try out some models before you buy, that's always a good idea. That might not be as easy right now but if you have a Wild Birds Unlimited, REI, Cabela's/Bass Pro Shop they should at least have one or two examples of the compact (which the 6.5x21's would be) vs. something a the small end of "standard" binoculars that you could try out in the store or in the parking lot. I haven't looked recently but $150 should be a reasonable amount for very serviceable glass.
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Feb 17, 2021 18:56
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Celestron is a legitimate brand, and should be as good as anything else at that price point. Years ago my mom had a pair, not sure which model. All brands are going to have different tiers so while Celestron earned it's good rep for astronomical telescopes the economy binoculars are not going to carry all of that technology with them. Professor Shark posted:
Range like golf or gun? it shouldn't really matter I guess, although in both cases you may be looking for tiny things at a long distance so that might actually call for 10x42s or something a little bigger? I don't do either so I don't really know what the exact use case is for those sports. Or do you mean looking at birds while you're at the range? You aren't looking for an actual rangefinder, right? A common recommendation are Nikon Monarchs but those are probably one price point up from what you're looking at. Here are some recs for the entry-level class (under $150). Binoculars for birding are pretty general for most uses, so a typical pair that's not super-compact will be somewhere in the 7x35, 8x35 to 8x50, or 10x35 to 10x50. 8x42 are perfect. Exceptions would be for stuff like butterflies where you need close minimum focus, or for something like long-distance sea watches you might go with something with a lot of magnification.
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Mar 1, 2021 01:42
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fawning deference posted:Yes! I found a birding thread. If you have a chance, try to get out into your local woods to look/listen for warblers. The spring warbler push on the east coast is awesome. They can be fast and hard to find in the tree leaves but at least they should be singing their little hearts out right now.
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Apr 28, 2021 03:43
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fawning deference posted:I don't need to take award winning photos, I just want to be able to document what I'm seeing where it doesn't look blurry or grainy (ie not a phone camera from far away). I am more interested in observing and taking the occasional picture, much more for personal use than to show the world my mad skills. Sounds like you aren't buying immediately, but if this is still true when you buy, maybe look at superzoom/bridge cameras rather than a DSLR/Mirrorless body + telephoto lens. Not sure if I've posted this in the thread before but I wrote a little bit about this decision.
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Apr 28, 2021 19:18
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fawning deference posted:I'm not sure how to upload images from my computer on here, but I just saw a bird outside on my ledge eating some seed and I don't know what it is - it basically looks like it could be a type of vireo or warbler. It has a white breast and belly and white around it's beady black eyes, but it is black running from nose through the top of it's head to the neck, and it's feathers are alternating gray and black. It has a pretty long thin beak. Maybe white-breasted nuthatch?
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May 2, 2021 19:25
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fawning deference posted:Is there a good way to keep suet cool in summer? I was thinking to refrigerate it overnight every night and put it in a shaded area, but 90 degree days might quickly dispose of it? I don't really know, but I don't see why you couldn't freeze it and/or rotate through a couple of allotments that you change out mid-day (assuming you are home to do that). I don't know where you are but if you are northern hemisphere then you could probably forget the suet entirely this time of year. If it's that warm there should be plenty of insects around.
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Jun 7, 2021 20:16
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For North American folks, MerlinID apparently added a new feature to try to ID birds by sound recordings. I know there's been more limited tests of stuff like this (e.g. for flight calls of night-migrating birds, or for smaller regions when a known set of species can be assembled beforehand), but it would be cool if this would work for birds in general. My guess is it will probably be like the photo version – crappy at first for some species but as more people try to use it it may actually become helpful.
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Jun 24, 2021 07:27
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Most brands have great options in your price range, so if you have the opportunity to go somewhere that has different brands to try out, you could see which feel best in hand. REI has some brands, or your local Wild Birds Unlimited, or check out a large outdoor store like Cabela's / Bass Pro Shop (if you don't have a dedicated optics store near you). Nikon Monarchs are often mentioned for people new to the hobby. Regarding the journal, I'm not exactly sure what you are asking for. There are field guides to help with ID, and they can be used as a checklist either in the index or just making notes in the margin, but they aren't really for journalling. Good options are the Sibley guides, National Geographic, or Audubon. The regional Sibley's are my favorite - small enough to bring around. (you aren't restricted to one and a lot of people end up getting multiple guides). For outdoor notes in the field you might just find a general nature sketch book or something with Rite-in-the-Rain paper (weatherproof). Your local or state audubon societies may have printed bird checklists for your state (and most parks and refuges have their own checklists). But for journalling, I'm not sure what a "birding' journal would look like that you couldn't do with just a regular journal.
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Aug 26, 2021 00:21
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Pileated are about crow sized with a big crest and honkin' beak. Hairy are I guess about robin-sized. Any woodpecker is cool so congrats! I've been helping some folks plan out a new Christmas Bird Count circle in my area. Unfortunately it got rejected by the National Audubon organization because it's too close to existing count circles but the plans are to run it as if it's official and then there will be that many more years of data if they change their mind in the future (plus whatever local use we might get out of the counts). Still it's a fun and interesting process, and I can't wait until January.
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Oct 4, 2021 02:11
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Flickers are super cool, and definitely a tricky one to ID since their plumage and habits are a little different than the other North American woodpeckers. Yesterday a super crazy bird, a Ross's Gull, showed up nearby. It's a weird pinkish gull from the arctic. The place it was seen is actually in the territory I'll be counting for the local Audubon Christmas Bird Count on Sunday. It would be super cool if it stuck around, but it hasn't been seen today so it was probably a one-day wonder. Probably just as well because there would be hundreds of birders there if it does come back. Out-of-range Ross's gulls are notorious for getting eaten by peregrines and there are almost always falcons there so it's probably good it moved along. I'm doing 3 CBC's this year including a brand new one. I get to co-lead a group in my local park.
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Dec 16, 2021 00:30
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BetterLekNextTime posted:Flickers are super cool, and definitely a tricky one to ID since their plumage and habits are a little different than the other North American woodpeckers. Update: Ross's gull did not stick around beyond the initial 30 minutes it was observed that day. No surprise there. Two of my Christmas Bird Counts are done now. The weather was nice for both of them, a little cold but no rain so we'll call that a win. On one of them we had our first burrowing owl in about 30 years so that was exciting. On the other, first Brant in this territory as far as we know, and a black-throated gray warbler that is kind of unusual this time of year. 3 peregrines too! This year everyone seems to be all in on the eBird data collection for the CBCs. In some ways it's kind of a pain in the rear end, but once it's all in the Trip Report function is pretty cool. Now it's easier to summarize all your lists from the day, and when you share with the count circle master account and the compiler runs the trip report, you get not only a species tally but you can see how many and which checklists saw each bird.
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Dec 22, 2021 02:04
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My Shark Waifuu posted:I'm resurrecting this thread to ask some ID questions. All from western Washington, the first three from Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR if that helps. I’d guess coops but that wouldn’t stand up in court. But male coops/female sharpie can be tough quote:
American Goldfinches quote:
Gadwall? Eurasian wigeons are no-doubters, at least the males. The head is really bright. Gadwalls are really plain from a distance except the black butt quote:
Townsend’s Solitare, a member of the thrush family. Size between bluebird and mockingbird with the little eye ring. Don’t know if you are in range year round but they sometimes get pushed out of their normal spots in the winter.
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Jan 10, 2023 15:56
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ThePopeOfFun posted:Can’t quite id this guy who has been hanging around the neighborhood and causing much strife amongst the jays. I’m thinking Prairie Hawk, but I’ve seen him on the ground with dark gray plumage. Maybe peregrine falcon? Midwest USA Looks like an accipiter (Cooper’s or Sharp-shinned), and the habitat looks good for it too. Peregrines are much more tall building/power tower/tall dead tree next to a wetland with ducks.
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Jun 22, 2023 16:12
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God Hole posted:
My guess is cardinals are pretty common in your area and are using some of the same forest edge habitat that bunnies also use. Could be a time of year when the male cardinals are a little more active for whatever reason plus they have shared predators like cats and (at least historically) Homo sapiens so it might not be Cardinal protecting Bunny but Cardinal protecting itself/family and bunny happens to be there too. And bunnies aren't always the smartest. quote:
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Jul 31, 2023 22:42
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Maybe start here? I'd also recommend seeing if there's any bluebird or other nest box trails near you to see what works to keep the local predators out of the boxes. Good luck and have fun!
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Feb 15, 2024 05:41
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